Improvement in shoe-clasps



T. E. KING 8v J. G. HAMMOND. Shoe-Clasp.

No. 215,824. Patented May27, 1879 fl mum mum F i C M;

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE E. KING AND JOSEPH O. HAMMOND, OF ROOKVILLE, CONN.

IMPROVEMENT IN SHOE-CLASPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 215,824, dated May 27, 1879 application filed February 17, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, THEODORE E. KING and J osEPH G. HAMMOND, of Rockville, in the county of Tolland and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Clasps; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, whereby a person skilled in the art can make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawin gs, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Like letters in the figures indicate the same parts.

Our invention relates to clasps or fastenings for shoes, and is particularly adapted for use upon overshoes or Arctics, so called, where rapidity and ease of fastening are desirable.

The object of our improvement is to provide a fastening which can be more readily and easily clasped or unclasped, and be more secure when clasped, than the devices which have heretofore been in use.

Our invention consists in the construction and arrangements of parts that will be hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows aside view of our improved clasp with the two parts united. Fig. 2 shows a top view of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 show the two parts of the clasp detached from each other.

A and B are the two parts or plates that are attached to the two sides or straps of the shoe. These plates are shown with holes for rivets or eyelets, as usually fastened; but they may be attached in any common or convenient manner.

The part A is provided with a tongue, 0, which passes through one of the holes D D in the part B, and bends down to hold the two parts together.

E is a spring-plate, curved to fit the under side of A, and lying close to it. It is held in place, as shown in the drawings, by the ends of A being bent round so as to clasp the ends of E. This spring serves the purpose of holding the tongue 0 open or closed.

The tongue 0 passes up through a hole in the plate A, and has two projections or ears on each side, (shown at O in the drawings,) which rest in the raised loops A at the sides of the plate A, so as to form a hinge, upon which the tongue turns. The tongue is also furnished with the projection 0 which acts downwardly upon the spring E, so that the pressure of the spring holds the tongue open or shut.

The part B of the clasp at the sides of the holes D D, through which the tongue passes, is furnished with the curved projections B B which fit upon the projections A of the plate A. When the two parts of the clasp are together, the tongue bears upon the front edge of the hole and draws the sides close together, so that the projections join and prevent the two parts from being drawn asunder longitudinally, thus relieving the tongue of the strain. The curved projections B B can, however, be dispensed with by making the plate B wider than A and making the holes D D sufficiently large to pass over the projections A as well as the tongue.

The holes D D are for the purpose of allowin g of a different length for the clasp to adjust for different sizes around the foot. One or more of these holes may be made in the clasp, as desired. Two are shown in the drawings, but it will be readily seen that any number can be used.

The project-ion (J upon thetongue 0 serves a double purpose. When the tongue is pressed down to secure the loop of the part B, the spring E acts upon it to hold the tongue forcibly down, and when the tongue is turned back to release the loop, this projection comes up under the part of B that is in front of the tongue, and pushes it upward to insure its bein g thrown off and released.

What we claim as our invention is- 1. The combination of the tongue 0, provided with the ears 0 and the projection 0 plate A, provided with the projections A, the plate B, and the spring E, secured at its ends to the plate A, substantially as herein set forth.

2. A buckle provided with the plates A and B, having the projections A and B, in combination with the spring-tongue 0, whereby the said plates are prevented from longitudina'l displacement.

THEODORE E. KING. JOSEPH o. HAMMOND.

Witnesses:

THEO. G. ELLIs, WENDELL R. GURTIs. 

